The present invention relates generally to clamping and tensioning devices for leather and leather-like materials and specifically for clamping and tensioning devices used to locate and hold the upper portion of a leather boot while stitching decorative thread patterns in the leather with an automatic stitching machine.
Western style "cowboy" boots are manufactured by sewing together upper portions of leather known as "quarters". The quarter, which can be either leather, leather-like material, or a synthetic substitute, is clamped into a frame or fixture known as a "pallet". The pallet locates or orients the boot quarter and holds the same in place so that decorative thread patterns can be stitched in the boot quarter with an automatic stitching machine.
Prior pallet designs clamped the outer opposing edges of the boot quarter onto the sides of the frame. The leather was not necessarily drawn taunt, and close rows of the decorative stitches would often overlap, ruining the quarter, which would then be rejected or would require reworking.
A need exists, therefore, for a device which will not only properly locate the boot quarter in the pallet and support the same for stitching, but which will also tension the quarter so that close rows of stitches will not overlap.